Rise Against – Live at Annexet, Stockholm, 16JUN2025

Rise Against’s long-awaited return to Sweden was finally here. It was long overdue, but the one who waits never waits too long, I guess.

”The band needs a photographer if you’re interested!”

Back in 2018 was the last time the Chicago band set foot on Swedish soil. Fast forward to 2025, it was finally time again. One show at Annexet in Stockholm, and one at Filmstudion in Gothenburg.

Tickets were bought. The excitement was building. Rise Against is one of my favorite bands, not only to listen to, but also to see live and to photograph (I shot them in 2017 and again in 2018).

The plan was simple: Leave at 5 PM and enjoy the show.
At 4:45, just 15 minutes before I was supposed to leave, I got a message on Instagram. It was from Federica Burelli, a fellow photographer I met in the pit at an All Time Low show. She was currently touring with Rise Against but couldn’t make the Stockholm date.
Her message?
”The band needs a photographer if you’re interested!”

Cue the chaos:
→ Overexcitement: Am I going to be the band’s photographer for the night?!
→ Stress: Where the f**k are all my stuff?! Are the batteries even charged?!
→ Panic: What if I totally f**k it up?!

But I never once thought of saying no. This was the dream, a chance to photograph a band I love, for the full set, with the freedom to move around the venue and truly capture the energy. I’ve always wanted to be a band’s photographer.
For one unforgettable night, I was.

And the show?

It was everything you’d hope for. Rise Against delivered, like they always do. From start to finish, they’re an incredible live band.
As a Swede, the heart beats a little harder when Chicago Blackhawks fan and frontman Tim McIlrath talks about how much he appreciates the Swedish players on the team and the band’s love for all the Swedish bands that have influenced them over the years.

I’m endlessly grateful to Federica for thinking of me, and to Rise Against for the trust.
It’s a night I’ll remember forever.

Their new album, Ricochet, is out August 15. Hopefully a new tour will be announced and fingers crossed Sweden doesn’t have to wait another seven years until next time.